"Wow."
Mo Chen had already lost the will to fight for his freedom the moment he stepped out of the house in the hands of that terrifying, snake-like man.
If asked, he would honestly prefer to be in this man's hands. At least this Falkar, or Valkari, or whatever his name was, looked more... human.
Considering the other creatures—whose faces and genders couldn't be distinguished...
Valkar walked quickly, as if being chased, and left the crowds behind in mere seconds. Yet Mo Chen still caught glimpses of some of the people's faces and appearances along the way.
And no...
There was no such thing as handsome beastmen with golden six-pack abs, bare muscular legs, and leather skirts.
(Damn you, deceitful web novelthors! You tricked me with your stories. Where is everything you promised? Where is the beauty?)
When Valkar had carried him out of the house, the first thing that caught Mo Chen's attention was the towering buildings, their colorful and intricate decorations.
True, everything was made of brick and wood, with no sign of metal or glass, but who said that took away from their grandeur?
Despite its "poverty," the city radiated beauty in every sense of the word.
Mo Chen wasn't an architect—he didn't even know how rooftops were kept from collapsing—but he dared any 21st-century man to look down on or underestimate these beasts' skill in construction.
It wasn't just the buildings. It was also the food sold on the streets, the clothing, the accessories, the trinkets...
Wait a second.
Wait.
Aren't the people in these stories supposed to be dumb and stuck in the Stone Age? The kind who don't even know how to use salt or spices, until the time-traveling protagonist shows up to teach them how to live better, smarter, and happier lives?
(Screw webnovels. Damn you,u authors! I've been lied to! Nothing I read was true. How does this place look like the Stone Age?! Honestly, this village resembles rural towns from the 21st century more than anything. Even my grandfather's village wasn't this decorated and charming—)
"If you're thinking of escaping, don't bother," said Valkar with a scary cold look on his face, carrying Mo Chen with ease, the latter sitting comfortably on one of his arms.
"I won't let you go, so it's best if you behave."
He'd noticed how the female had stopped struggling, her expression flickering between fury and emptiness.
[ I don't want him to hate me more than he already does. But I can't let him go. He's the female the Beast God sent to me. Even if he hates me, I'll never abandon him.]
Though Valkar's face was cold as ice, his mind was a storm of fear and anxiety.
He was terrified—terrified of losing the treasure he'd finally found after years of loneliness and struggle.
Mo Chen looked at Valkar's face.
Their heads were very close.
[ Dear God, that face is illegal. No, it's a sin.]
Mo Chen's mouth nearly watered at the sight of the man who had kidnapped him.
[Have I... developed Stockholm syndrome?]
Valkar kept moving swiftly until he had completely left the village behind. Without a backward glance, he stepped into a cave nestled at the back of the mountain.
It wasn't large or dark, but it was still a cave.
Mo Chen's expression twisted.
Never mind that the man had kidnapped him—at the very least, he should've provided him with the necessities of human life.
And a livable space was one of the most important needs after food and water.
This cave was nearly empty.
Fortunately, there was a large wooden bed on the right side, a wooden chair, and some tools that appeared to be for cooking. Animal hides and furs had been processed into blankets and coverings... but that was about it.
As someone from the 21st century, did Mo Chen consider this a livable home?
Hell no.
Valkar noticed Mo Chen's hesitation and conflicted expression when he saw the cave and reassured him, "This isn't our home. It's just temporary. I don't live in that village—I only came here for a specific reason. We'll go back once I'm done."
As he spoke, Valkar was secretly thanking their Beast God every second for sending him to that village. If he hadn't gone there, he would've never met his mate.
[At last, I have a female of my own. A true soul partner. We'll live together happily and have lots of children. I'll finally have a real family—just like every other beastman. I'll no longer have any reason to be jealous of anyone.]
Mo Chen: "..."
Excuse me? What do you mean by "our" home? And what do you mean "we'll" go back?
Big brother, could you please stop using the pronoun "we"?
There is no we.
There is only you and me, and we've barely known each other for a few hours!
Of course, Mo Chen didn't dare say any of that aloud—not after he was nearly roasted by dragon fire earlier just for insisting he wasn't a female.
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Dear angels,
Your favorite author has returned once more... Ahem, well, your lazy author, to be precise.
But! I swear I have a good reason—I've been sick, and still kind of am...
Anyway, I'll spare you the drama this time, but get ready—I'll probably be whining a lot in the next update.
Now then—our sweet Mo Chen's story hasn't even truly begun yet, and I cruelly abandoned him for a whole month without a single new chapter. The guilt is real, and I can't help but pity our poor little darling.
Honestly, I just want him to quickly find his place in this world.
(Our precious female—fufufu~)
So! Let's dive right in…
Please cheer me on
I'm about to start writing Mo Chen's journey with his snake—I mean, his majestic dragon lover. I can't promise how many chapters there will be everyday but I'll do my best to at least update a chapter or two a day.
As always,
Erato-san loves you all very, very much!
See you tomorrow—or maybe tonight—with a new chapter.
Wishing you a beautiful, magical day ahead.
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